Modified splitting technique for liver transplantation in adult-sized recipients. Technique and preliminary results

In the common split liver technique the liver is divided between the right lobe, to be transplanted to an adult, and the left lateral segment, to be t ransplanted to a small child. We have developed an alternative technique by which the cadaver donor liver is divided in its two anatomo-functional hal ves, both apt to be transplanted to adults or children of adult size. We ha ve so far used this technique in three multi organ donors, generating, six liver grafts that we transplanted to six recipients with median age of 36.5 years (range 10-23) and a median weight of 55 kg (range 38-79). Patient su rvival was 83.3% and graft survival 66.6% with a median follow up of 10 mon ths (range 8-14). These results show that the technique is effective and th at it can consistently increase the number of liver grafts that can be tran splanted into adult patients, with the available cadaver donor pool.